Lxxx

Of course it is. But let's not pretend a dozen anoraks visiting is going to make the slightest bit of difference to the climate.

So we should fold any attempt we have at tourism from here on in. Just accept our lot and come to terms with the fact we aren't growing the population as we don't want people to come and visit and just increase taxes to make up the budget shortfall.

People do still travel you know. Or should we hold all our conferences on Teams from now on? To save the environment etc etc..

Agreed, although it's just as evident here as it is anywhere else.

This is the issue. The people here have a sense of entitlement. They want a first class system of healthcare with door to door perks but want someone else to pay for it.

Sounds lovely written down. In reality it's a pipedream. The world has moved on since the world you remember, or would like it to be. We have a broken system, the infrastructure is crumbling, key workers are leaving in their droves and the lights are going out slowly. Keeping the status quo isn't an option. We either think big and different or we become the Isle of Wight. This is likely to be last throw of the dice before the worldwide drag net of offshore havens catches us and we change irreversibly. The best shot we have is to go big or go home. Apply to become a Charter City and appeal to the libertarian billionaires who are slowly building a new network of trade centres around the world or become an island county of the UK. Sink or swim.

Oh dear. She likes to portray herself as one of the new breed of young, intelligent, forward-thinking MHK's too. We're in trouble aren't we.

Would you, as an MHK, accept what you suspected was 'duff' information that contradicted what your eyes and ears were telling you? Or would you earn your not insignificant salary by asking to see some hard data to back that up before reporting it as official to the public? EDIT: Just seen the previous post which more or less mirrors mine.

Cannan's idea of putting outsider's in departments is still a very valid one. Obviously it needs to be the right ones and not just mates of the existing management but the principle is sound. Not surprised Tynwald didn't go for it though, they don't like their failings highlighted by better educated and more experienced people.

To be fair it would be reasonable to assume it wouldn't be nicked if just left overnight and they didn't have the means to take it back to a depot. Baldrine is hardly inner city Liverpool. Sometimes criminality happens, unfortunately..

Only true change can come if it is directed from London. The civil service here is all encompassing, the public sector is the largest employer and politicians come and go. Either that or a disaster/catastrophe happens to force it.

Bit harsh. The role is poisoned chalice. He is one man at the helm of a bureaucratic juggernaut which is leaking. The whole ship is sinking slowly and as fast as we can plug one hole another appears. He'll serve his time to the best of ability, say the right things, take his pension and retire into his other interests. I don't mean that disrespectfully. Then another will replace him and the circus carries on.

How many decent, ordinary, law abiding members of society started their adulthood smoking a bit of weed. Stop grasping on to a fickle argument just because it fits your bias. Get over it.

Alcohol is a gateway drug to other stuff in the right (wrong) individual. Absolute nonsense statement.

Spot on. Although the two shouldn't be mutually exclusive. We can and should accommodate the grey pound as well as remodelling our skills output to deliver what the island needs. It isn't either/or. Pensioners who move here to retire are still economically active. We just need to develop the other end of the scale too, as more and more youngsters decide university is too expensive and stay here to attempt to join the workforce.

I rather think that may well be the case. Or at least reshape it to become streamlined and fit for purpose.

I was a bit flippant with that comment and it was tongue in cheek. Wasn't meant to be disparaging. But I am of the opinion you are the product of your experiences and the calibre of people you surround yourself with forms your ability to think laterally. We need Ministers who have real world experience and the DfE needs an entrepreneurial person from the private sector. Maybe he was just the wrong man in the wrong role.

I've no doubt you are correct. However some of things we need to do as an island to attempt to get it back on track will be very unpalatable to large swathes of the existing population. It's time to throw off the 'boat in the morning' mentality and move forwards. Tough decisions need to be made which will make MHK's unpopular to their electorate but the trick of a good politician is to have the intelligence to be able to eloquently explain why the decisions have been made and to outline the bigger picture. Let's see why Tim resigned but if it was just to stay true to his electorate then that's a short sighted way of looking at it. We elect officials to not just represent us but entrust them to make tough decisions on our behalf. We have had decades of of fudging the issues that matter. Time to pony up.

To be fair Alf has worked at director level and had to liaise with private sector CEO's as part of his recruitment background. Tim used to deliver letters and wiped old people's arses. It's not surprising he decided he might not be up to the job of driving forward an economic plan.

Having had to deal with KPMG in different parts of the world I am convinced this is some kind of consultancy graveyard where they send the rejects to milk the local market and deliver the square root of F all. Seriously, who spent taxpayers money on this?

Can you more clearly define 'at work.'

No need for satire this early in a morning.

It's not so much the weak sentencing it is the baffling discrepancy in sentencing, between seemingly victimless crimes that get harsh sentences and the slap on the wrist for the ones that all logic and reason indicates should get their just desserts.

Which might actually end up being the most efficient process they have attempted in years.

I thought she had gone away?